Fandom: Avengers
Pairing: Pepper/Bruce
Pairing Type: Romantic
Prompt: Wind
They always looked forward to the summer. Tony had a few small sailboats (just because he could) and Pepper and Bruce enjoyed nothing more than the summer days when they could pack a cooler of sandwiches and soda and head out into the open sea. Over time the sensations associated with these outings became anchors of a sort for Bruce when The Other Guy wanted to come out to play: the smell of salt, the sound of Pepper laughing, and the touch of the wind.
Years of dealing with Tony Stark made Pepper especially qualified for a relationship with Bruce Banner. She knew how to handle difficult men, whether they were difficult of their own accord or not, and she had a patience and a confidence that put her at ease even in situations like this, where other women might be scared. Bruce had been scared at first. He had told her it wasn't a good idea to be trapped on a tiny vessel with him in the middle of nowhere, but she wasn't afraid, and after awhile he wasn't either.
It was easy with them. She was smart, and had an easy confidence that drew Bruce out of his shell quickly. He felt relaxed with her. His heart pounded in her presence, but not for the reasons he'd grown accustomed to. It wasn't fear of killing her that made him sweat, it was just her. Her smell, her smile, the glint of the sun off her wind-tousled hair, all of it caused a warm curling in Bruce's stomach that he couldn't quite bring himself to hate.
In the end, they deserved each other. Pepper deserved someone who could love and appreciate her, and nobody appreciated her for simply existing more than Bruce did. Bruce deserved someone who was unafraid, who loved him and wouldn't stop loving him just because The Other Guy was always hanging over their heads. They both found in each other what they had been looking for, and nobody dared to interfere. Not that they'd want to, if anybody deserved a shot at being happy, it was this pair.